<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Chore Time by ericsonclan</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752550">Chore Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan'>ericsonclan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>OG World [45]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chores, F/M, Friendship, Injury Recovery, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:03:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clementine and Violet adjust to life at Ericson with their injuries.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clementine &amp; Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Louis &amp; Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>OG World [45]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Chore Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(by Laura)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Just kill me now,” Violet groaned as she continued scrubbing the dirt off the Jerusalem artichokes in preparation for dinner.</p><p>This was the fifth night in a row that she and Clementine had been assigned to food prep, likely because it was the only thing they were capable of given their injuries. It wasn’t like keeping watch or going hunting would be on the table anytime soon. So instead they sat around day in and day out washing clothes, sewing up holes or preparing ingredients for meals. Needless to say, both girls were already sick of the work.</p><p>“It could be worse,” Clementine mused, cutting through the skin on a freshly caught rabbit. “We could still have Omar looking over our shoulders every other second,”</p><p>Violet sighed. “You got me there. At least we’ve graduated beyond only having dish duty. Wish I could hold the knife though,”</p><p>“You’ll get there eventually. Your eyesight’s improving every day,”</p><p>Violet scoffed. “Yeah, keep telling me that. Let’s face it: this is as good as it’s going to get,” She did a circular motion around her face before throwing another tuber onto the pile.</p><p>“Got another rabbit to peel,” Clementine offered. She held the beheaded carcass up by its legs. Violet leaned forward, grabbing the skin on either side and beginning to pull back. They rocked back and forth slightly as they removed the skin from the flesh, Clementine holding fast to the legs as Violet tugged steadily on the fur. Eventually the skin came off with a final schlorp. “Thanks,” Clem said, laying the carcass back down on the board to butcher.</p><p>They could hear A.J. laughing from somewhere else in the yard. Louis was with him right now. Clem smiled. Louis was probably telling another one of his crazy stories about hunting mountain lions or wrestling barracudas to A.J. It was good to see the two of them getting along so well. She was still getting used to having others around that could watch out for A.J., but she had to admit it was sort of nice to have some time without him underfoot.</p><p>Violet squinted as she looked over toward the admin building. “Is that Aasim over there?”</p><p>Clementine turned to look. “Yup. Writing as always,”</p><p>“God, I wonder what he comes up with to write every day. ‘Dear Diary, today we caught three rabbits instead of two. One of the fish traps broke. What an amazing day!’”</p><p>Clementine chuckled. “It’s a journal, remember? Not a diary,” Aasim and Louis had gotten into a fight just two nights ago on that very topic.</p><p>Violet rolled her eyes. “Oh, of course! My bad. Honestly though, most of his entries are probably just complaints about Louis. Hunting with him every day must be driving Aasim insane,”</p><p>“You mean to tell me Louis is <em>not</em> Aasim’s first choice of a hunting partner?” Clementine asked, her brows wiggling playfully.</p><p>Violet snorted. “Marlon sure paired them up enough for all Aasim’s complaining,” Her expression grew sad as she looked down at her hands resting in the dirty water. “Sometimes he’d tag along to keep the peace between those two. Mitch and Brody also took a lot of hunting shifts,”</p><p>Clementine’s eyes dropped too. To think she’d only known Marlon, Brody, Mitch, and Tenn for a few days and then they were gone… the marks they’d left in her memory felt so much stronger than that. Perhaps because of their importance in the remaining kids’ lives. Even though they were gone, their presence was felt everywhere around the school. In the test beakers still sitting in the greenhouse lab, the lull of the river – the closest Brody ever got to the ocean - the nameplate in the headmaster’s office that Marlon had made for himself, Tenn’s drawing he’d gifted to Clem and A.J. on one of their first nights at Ericson. Clementine missed each of them in their own way, but for Violet the pain must be so much deeper. To lose those she’d survived alongside for eight years… Clementine didn’t have anyone who’d stuck by her side that long, not even A.J. There was no way to address the pain of such loss in any way that could help, so instead she sat with Violet in silence and stillness, dwelling in the grief of all that had come to pass.</p><p>“Well, you two sure don’t look happy,” They were shaken from their thoughts by Louis’ voice as he made his way over to them. He grinned at the two girls, standing in front of the table with his hands proudly tugging his lapels. “I see you’re butchering my rabbit there. Impressive, isn’t he? The biggest one we’ve caught all season!”</p><p>“Is that why you’re over here, Louis?” Violet glared at him. “To boast about your hunting while we’ve been stuck on our asses all day?”</p><p>“Actually, your asses are exactly why I’m over here,” Louis quickly raised a finger. “And before you say anything, yes, I just realized how bad that sounds. What I was thinking was that a brisk walk about the courtyard might be exactly what both of you need to turn those frowns upside down!”</p><p>“Ok then,” Clementine said with a casual shrug. “I only have my crutches outside right now…”</p><p>“A.J. ran inside to grab your prosthetic. We’ll be off on our stroll momentarily!”</p><p>“I’m out,” Violet declared.</p><p>“Participation is mandatory,”</p><p>Violet grumbled incoherently but stayed put.</p><p>---</p><p>It certainly took longer than momentarily for the prosthetic to be retrieved, attached, and for both girls to maneuver safely into position, each taking one of Louis’ arms. Eventually they were off though, traveling round the yard at what Louis described as a “leisurely” pace as Clementine struggled with each and every step she took. The prosthetic had been improved with each iteration Willy put forth over these last few months, but she was still figuring out how to balance properly on it without each forward motion throwing off her center of balance. Her friends were patient with her though, neither seeming put off at all by the agonizing crawl that was their speed.</p><p>“What a perfect evening,” Louis said with a grin. “The warm breeze wafting through the trees as I take a stroll with my two best girls,”</p><p>Violet snorted. “Lou, if you ever refer to me as ‘your girl’ again, I will sneak into your room in the middle of the night and strangle you in your sleep,”</p><p>“Noted. So, Clem, anything exciting happen today?”</p><p>“Actually, yes. James dropped by,”</p><p>“Really? In his full getup and everything?”</p><p>“He took the mask off before coming inside. He wanted to let us know that he’s planning on filling up the barn again. He also said he’d drop off the salt lick soon. Apparently A.J. mentioned it to Omar and Omar got the message out to James that he wanted it if James didn’t need it. Omar says it’ll be a game-changer when it comes to food,”</p><p>“Well, I certainly have no reason to doubt the words of our all-knowing chef. You excited for a change in food, Vi?”</p><p>“It’ll still be stew every night, just like it’s always been. I can’t imagine a salt block will make that much of a difference,”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Time will tell, I suppose. Clem, how you holding up? Need to take a rest?”</p><p>“No, I can go a few more minutes,” Clementine tried to mask the hitch in her breathing as Louis eyed her worriedly. “I want to increase my endurance,”</p><p>“Alright, but if I see you slipping, I’m carrying you princess style the rest of the night and there’s nothing you can do about it,”</p><p>“Fine, it’s a deal,”</p><p>They continued their path around the yard, pausing by the greenhouse to greet Ruby as she came through with an armful of fresh herbs. A.J. ran over too, insisting that he should help Clem too. She placed her free hand on his shoulder, leaning on it ever so slightly as they circled back toward the picnic benches. Violet was steady for the most part, the occasional slipup coming from the rough terrain underfoot. But for the most part Louis kept his eye out for potential pitfalls, gently guiding her out of the way, chatting all the while to distract both girls from the toll the stroll took on their bodies.</p><p>Finally they made it all the way around the yard. Clementine and Violet sat down with appreciative groans, Louis and A.J. grabbing their bowls to fill up before they got their own food.<br/>
Clementine looked over at Violet. The peevish frown that had stayed on her face all throughout dinner prep was gone, replaced by a small, contented smile. It always warmed Clem’s heart when she caught Violet smiling. “Good day after all?” she asked good-naturedly.</p><p>Violet seemed surprised at the question for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. Good day,”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>